A bomb targets a Taliban security forces vehicle, injuring five people. Soldiers raided an ISIL-K hideout after the attack, killing several terrorists and arresting a few more. (TOLO News)
Russian gas supplies via the Yamal–Europe pipeline fall almost 77% in a single day, raising European gas prices to an all-time high. European Parliament lawmakers request investigations of market manipulation, although Gazprom's exports outside the former Soviet Union rose 15.3% year on year in the first nine months of 2021 and German utility Uniper confirms that Russia was fulfilling its contractual obligations. (Reuters)(RFE/RL)
The Philippines adds the British territory of Bermuda to its red list due to COVID-19. Bermuda became the first British territory to be added to the Asian country's red list. (PLS)
Singapore reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 2,909 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 99,430. (The Straits Times)
Sri Lanka lifts a nearly six-week lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 but continues to maintain a night curfew and a ban on public gatherings and parties as the number of cases declines. (The Hindu)
Russia reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 887 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 208,142. (The Moscow Times)
Argentina authorizes the approval of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 3 and 11 years. Health minister Carla Vizzotti announces that Argentina will end the year with all of its population over the age of 3 years vaccinated against COVID-19. (El Universo)
It is announced that more than 50 countries have missed the World Health Organization's (WHO) target for 10% of their populations to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of September. Most of these countries are in Africa, where the WHO's overall figure for fully vaccinated populations is currently 4.4%. (BBC News)
Ecuador says it will pardon more than 2,000 inmates after 118 inmates were killed during a riot at a prison in Guayaquil on 28 September. A government official said that some prisoners will be prioritized and that the main goal is to address prison overcrowding. (Reuters)